Magazine or container for receiving articles such as caseless propellant charges or compacts

ABSTRACT

A magazine or container for receiving articles such as caseless propellant charges or compacts includes a tubular member having an internal diameter corresponding substantially to the diameter of the articles which are to be stored therein. The tubular member includes an end which is slotted to form segmental portions which may be deflected outwardly for removing the articles out this end. The container includes a rake element which is inserted into an elongated slot in the side of the container and which provides individual spacer elements for maintaining a plurality of said propellant compacts in axially spaced relationship within said container.

United States Patent 1191 11 3,831,739

Hartmann 1 Aug. 27, 1974 [54] MAGAZINE 0R CONTAINER FOR 2,997,164 8/1961 Rue, Jr 206/65 R x RECEIVING ARTICLES SUCH AS 3,558,007 1/1971 Seghezzi et al. 206/56 A CASELESS PROPELLANT CHARGES 0R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS COWACTS 222,813 8/1962 Austria 206/42 Manfred Hartmann, Frastanz, Austria Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft Filed: Aug. 31, 1972 Appl. No.: 285,478

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 16,878, March 5, 1970, abandoned.

Inventor:

Foreign Application Priority Data Field of Search 150/42, 44; 206/l82, l R, 206/3, 42, 46 R, 46 F, 56 A, 56 AC, 65 R, DIG. 23; 221/232, 276

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OReilly 206/.82

Primary Examiner-William v1. Price Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Toren and McGeady [57] ABSTRACT A magazine or container for receiving articles such as caseless propellant charges or compacts includes a tubular member having an internal diameter corresponding substantially to the diameter of the articles which are to be stored therein. The tubular member includes'an end which is slotted to form segmental portionswhich may be deflected outwardly for removing the articles out this end. The container includes a rake element which is inserted into an elongated slot in the side of the container and which provides individual spacer elements for maintaining a plurality of said propellant compacts in axially spaced relationship within said container.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MAGAZINE OR CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING ARTICLES SUCH AS CASELESS PROPELLANT CHARGES OR CONWACTS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16,878 filed Mar. 5, 1970, now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention refers to the construction of small containers and in particular to a new and useful container package for receiving caseless propellant compacts which is of tubular construction and has an inside diameter corresponding substantially to the diameter of the propellant compacts and includes means for spacing the articles apart.

For various reasons it is dangerous to pack caseless propellant compacts or powder tablets loosely in containers or cans. First of all, for safety reasons if one of the powder tablets is ignited, or detonated, all of the powder tablets would be necessarily ignited or detonated and the resulting great heat would lead to additional ignitions in the vicinity of the cans or magazines having these tablets. Secondly, abrasion is caused by the powder tablets so that their dimensions and energy content would be caused to vary. Finally, the individual removal of the small tablets from the cam or magazine is rather difficult.

In accordance with the present invention a package container for such tablets includes means for spacing the powder tablets apart, and one form of the invention comprises spacer elements which are contained in a tubular container for locating the individual tablets in a fixedly axially spaced orientation in a position so that ignition of one would not be likely to cause accidental ignition or detonation of all of the others and there will be no likelihood of a mutual abrasion of all of the tablets. In one form of the invention the means for maintaining the spacing comprises individual spacer elements of a material such as cardboard or plastic. In such a construction the tubular magazine advantageously includes an upper end with longitudinally extending slots arranged around its circumference to define arcuate bendable segmental portions or tabs which may be bent downwardly to permit upward removal of the tablets one after the other along with the associated spacers.

In accordance with another feature of the invention the magazine may be slotted along its whole length to permit insertion of spacer elements carried on a rake member which may be inserted into association with the magazine to position the individual spacer elements between the tablets and to provide a closing of at least a portion of the arcuate slot of the magazine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to pro vide an improved magazine or container particularly for caseless cartridges which is of tubular form having an interior diameter corresponding substantially to the diameter of the caseless propellant compacts which are to be stored therein and which includes spacer means for holding the articles in axially spaced relationship.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tubular container or magazine for caseless propellant compacts which advantageously may be loaded and unloaded either from the one end or the side and for this purpose includes an end portion having segmented walls or tabs which may be bent backwardly to facilitate loading and unloading, and which also altematively may include a longitudinal slot arranged around a portion of its periphery into which the compacts may be inserted or from which the compacts may be removed, the walls preferably being of a resilient character so that they embrace the compacts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container or magazine for articles which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein in FIG. 1 comprises a tubular magazine generally designated 1 comprising a cylindrical sleeve or tube 2 having an annular flange 3 at its lower end forming a support for a plurality of tablets or articles such as caseless compacts 4 which are stored therein. The opposite or upper end is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slots 5 which define arcuate tongues or tabs 6 having inturned upper ends or knobs 7 which prevent upward withdrawal of the articles stored within the magazine 1. The arcuate tongues 6 may be depressed backwardly to permit insertion or withdrawal of the articles. They are suffi ciently resilient so that they return to their normal position in which they prevent accidental dropping out of the tablets from this end of the magazine.

In accordance with the invention the sleeve 2 includes means associated therewith for spacing the articles or tablets 4 in an axial direction and in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 this means comprises individual disc members or spacers 8 which are made, for example, of a material such as cardboard or plastic. During insertion of the articles 4 they are separated by spacers 8 which are all inserted by depressing the tongues 6 backwardly to a position at which they permit passage into the interior of the sleeve 2.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2 there is provided a magazine or container generally designated 11'' which includes a partially cylindrical sleeve member 2" having an arcuate slot 10" extending the full length thereof. In this embodiment the tablets 4 are inserted either laterally or from the top and the arcuate walls of the partially cylindrical member 2" are advantageously made sufficiently resilient, so that after they are deformed for insertion of the tablets, they tightly embrace the tablets and hold them in an oriented position. In order to maintain a positive spacing between the tablets 4, however, the embodiment of FIG. 2 includes a rake member, generally designated 11, having a fixed closure wall part lla to which are connected a plurality of axially spaced prongs or spacer elements 12 which are oriented between the tablets 4 when the rake 11 is moved from the open position indicated in FIG. 2 into a closed position at which it seals a major portion or all of the arcuate slot 11". Before the tablets 4 are removed, the rake 11 is removed laterally from the partially cylindrical member 2".

What is claimed is:

l. A packing assembly comprising an axially elongated tubular member forming an axially extending interior space, a plurality of axially arranged caseless propellant compacts positioned within and spaced apart in the axial direction of the interior space in said tubular member, said compacts having an outside diameter corresponding substantially to the inside diameter of said tubular member, spacing means formed of a material different from that of said caseless propellant compacts in surface contact with and positioned between each of the adjacent ones of said compacts for completely covering the adjacent surfaces of each pair of said compacts and for maintaining said compacts in axially spaced relationship, said spacing means for said compacts comprises a rake member having a plurality of spaced projecting prongs, and said tubular member having a longitudinal slot into which said rake member is adapted to fit to position the prongs between adjacent said compacts.

2. A container assembly comprising an axially elongated tubular member forming an axially extending interior space, a plurality of axially arranged caseless propellant contacts positioned within and spaced apart in the axial direction of the interior space in said tubular member, said compacts being disk-shaped and having an outside diameter corresponding substantially to the inside diameter of said tubular member, said tubular member'having inturned flange means at one end for preventing withdrawal of the disc-shaped compacts from the interior space and having in the wall of said tubular member at the opposite end a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slots which define arcuate wall. segments therebetween forming holding tongues, said holding tongues having an inturned end portion for preventing withdrawal of said disc-shaped compacts from this end of said tubular member and being formed of a resilient material such that they can be deformed outwardly from the axis of said tubular member for the insertion of said compacts into and withdrawal of said compacts from the interior space in said tubular member, spacing means formed of a material different from that of said caseless propellant compacts and disposed in surface contact with and disposed between each of the adjacent ones of said disc-shaped compacts for completely covering the adjacent surfaces of each said pair of compacts for maintaining said compacts in axially spaced relationship, said spacing means for said compacts comprises a rake member, said container having a wide longitudinal slot extending along substantially the entire length thereof, said rake member comprising a flat member having a plurality of outwardly extending prongs defined thereon at axially spaced locations, said flat member closing at least a portion of the longitudinal slot and positioning said prongs between adjacent compacts to hold said compacts in spaced orientation, and said prongs spacing said compacts in the axial direction. 

1. A packing assembly comprising an axially elongated tubular member forming an axially extending interior space, a plurality of axially arranged caseless propellant compacts positioned within and spaced apart in the axial direction of the interior space in said tubular member, said compacts having an outside diameter corresponding substantially to the inside diameter of said tubular member, spacing means formed of a material different from that of said caseless propellant compacts in surface contact with and positioned between each of the adjacent ones of said compacts for completely covering the adjacent surfaces of each pair of said compacts and for maintaining said compacts in axially spaced relationship, said spacing means for said compacts comprises a rake member having a plurality of spaced projecting prongs, and said tubular member having a longitudinal slot into which said rake member is adapted to fit to position the prongs between adjacent said compacts.
 2. A container assembly comprising an axially elongated tubular member forming an axially extending interior space, a plurality of axially arranged caseless propellant contacts positioned within and spaced apart in the axial direction of the interior space in said tubular member, said compacts being disk-shaped and having an outside diameter corresponding substantially to the inside diameter of said tubular member, said tubular member having inturned flange means at one end for preventing withdrawal of the disc-shaped compacts from the interior space and having in the wall of said tubular member at the opposite end a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending slots which define arcuate wall segments therebetween forming holding tongues, said holding tongues having an inturned end portion for preventing withdrawal of said disc-shaped compacts from this end of said tubular member and being formed of a resilient material such that they can be deformed outwardly from the axis of said tubular member for the insertion of said compacts into and withdrawal of said compacts from the interior space in said tubular member, spacing means formed of a material different from that of said caseless propellant compacts and disposed in surface contact with and disposed between each of the adjacent ones of said disc-shaped compacts for completely covering the adjacent surfaces of each said pair of compacts for maintaining said compacts in axially spaced relationship, said spacing means for said compacts comprises a rake member, said container having a wide longitudinal slot extending along substantially the entire length thereof, said rake member comprising a flat member having a plurality of outwardly extending prongs defined thereon at axially spaced locations, said flat member closing at least a portion of the longitudinal slot and positioning said prongs between adjacent compacts to hold said compacts in spaced orientation, and said prongs spacing said compacts in the axial direction. 